1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing gas from drilling mud coming from gas and oil well-bores.
2. Description of Related Art
The removal of gas from drilling mud or fluid associated with the oil and natural gas industry is an important part of the safe operation of an oil and gas well site. This drilling mud must be treated to remove the methane-based gas that could potentially harm workers and complicate drilling. This drilling mud is typically treated to remove the dangerous gas and recycled to the well site. These xe2x80x9cmud degassersxe2x80x9d typically utilize centrifugal technology, laminar flow technology at atmospheric pressure or laminar flow technology at pressures less than atmospheric pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. Re 36,082 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,563, both issued to Ishimura et al., outlines a vacuum degassing method that is similar to the technology used to remove dangerous gas from drilling mud in the oil and gas industry. This patent outlines a method that is used to degas molten glass substances at high temperatures. Molten glass material is moved up and down a receiving line into a treatment furnace, where a vacuum is used to vent off any dangerous gases that are associated with the treatment furnace.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,258, issued to Shifflett, outlines the use of a method and apparatus to degas drilling mud used in the oil and gas industry. The gas ladened drilling mud is fed into a cylindrical vessel where it is forced upward by the action of an internal auger device. The internal auger device is also perforated, with the combined movement of the drilling mud in the cylinder and perforations causing the drilling mud to release much of the gases trapped within.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,774, issued to Skipper, also outlines the use of a method and apparatus to degas drilling mud used in the oil and gas industry. The apparatus is a hollow cylindrical housing with a rotatable auger shaft that is centered therein. The auger shaft supports an uneven screw conveyor that forces the gas laden drilling mud upward across an exhaust manifold that sucks the released gases from the drilling mud. The screw conveyor is also perforated and the degassed mud is also automatically taken away from the cylindrical housing once gas has been removed from the mud.
Several patents outline the use of liquid/gas or mud gas separators such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,014 issued to Cadle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,378 issued to Obrejanu, U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,825 issued to Greene et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,749 issued to Ribeiro et al. The technology involved with the liquid/gas separators includes agitation, acceleration, deceleration, centrifugation or precipitation and is a different than the technology involved with a degasser.
Although the liquid/gas separators can be useful in some chemical and industrial settings, what would be more useful is developing a more efficient degasser method and apparatus for removing gas from drilling mud used in oil and gas wells. That""s what is really needed.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The invention is an apparatus and method that is used for removing gas from drilling mud coming from gas and oil well-bores. The apparatus receives the gas ladened drilling mud and utilizes the energy from the flow of gas ladened mud to power a blower fan that is used to discharge any released gas. A set of conical trays are used to catch the gas ladened mud that is dispersed in the energy utilization by a set of helical blades. The gas ladened mud will slowly flow down the conical trays and liberate gas with the assistance of a partial vacuum that is generated within the reaction vessel. A liquid trap is also formed in the bottom portion of the reaction vessel to prevent air from entering the reaction vessel. The gas generated is expelled out of the reaction vessel and burned off by a flare line or simply released into the outside air. The method described utilizes the apparatus in an automated process that receives gas ladened mud from oil and gas well bores and removes the gas from the mud and transfers the cleaned mud to a mud tank for reuse.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an apparatus and method that does not utilize any motors for its operation and does not require any additional energy.
It is another object of the invention to provide a degassing process that eliminates hazardous working condition exposures.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a degassing process that remains confined through the full process until the gas is finally and safely released through a flare line.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.